Methods for forming noise absorbing barrier walls and related forms

Abstract

A barrier wall is formed by rotating a mold to a horizontal orientation so that a rear wall of the mold is horizontally disposed and an encircling sidewall upstands from the rear wall, the floor and encircling sidewall at least partially bounding a compartment, an upper end of the encircling sidewall at least partially bounding a first access opening to the compartment. A first material is disposed into the compartment through the first access opening, at least a portion of the material being curable. A cover is placed over the first access opening to enclose the compartment. The mold is then rotated from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. A portion of the sidewall is then moved to form a second access opening to the compartment. A second material is then dispensed into the compartment, at least a portion of the second material being curable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A form for forming a barrier wall, the form comprising:
 a mold bounding a compartment having a volume of at least 0.2 cubic meters (m 3 ), the mold comprising a front panel and an opposing rear panel each having an upper end and an opposing lower end that extend between a first side and an opposing second side, the mold further comprising:
 a bottom panel extending between the lower end of the front panel and the rear panel; and 
 a top panel extending between the upper end of the front panel and the rear panel; 
 
 a stand comprising:
 an upstanding first riser, a first end of the mold being rotatably connected to the first riser; and 
 an upstanding second riser, a second end of the mold that is opposite the first end being rotatably connected to the second riser, the mold being rotatably connected to the first riser and the second riser of the stand so that the mold is rotatable about an axis that laterally passes through the mold between the first end and the second end and is centrally positioned between the top panel and the bottom panel, the mold being rotatable between a first orientation wherein the mold is in an orientation that is between +/−15° from vertical and a second orientation wherein the mold is in an orientation that is between +/−15° from horizontal. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The form as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the front panel is movable on or removable from the mold to provide an access opening to the compartment when the mold is in the second orientation. 
     
     
       3. The form as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the top panel is movable on or removable from the mold to provide an access opening to the compartment when the mold is in the first orientation. 
     
     
       4. The form as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mold further comprises:
 a first side panel extending between the first side of the front panel and the rear panel; and 
 a second side panel extending between the second side of the front panel and the rear panel. 
 
     
     
       5. The form as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the compartment has a maximum height extending between the top panel and the bottom panel, a maximum width extending between the front panel and the rear panel, and a maximum length extending between the first side panel and the second side panel, wherein the maximum height and the maximum length both are greater than the maximum width by a factor of at least 5. 
     
     
       6. The form as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the maximum height is at least 1.5 meters, the maximum length is at least 1.5 meters, and the maximum width is less than 0.2 meters. 
     
     
       7. The form as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the compartment has an elongated rectangular configuration. 
     
     
       8. The form as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the front panel and the rear panel are disposed in parallel alignment or the top panel and the bottom panel are disposed in parallel alignment. 
     
     
       9. The form as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first axle outwardly projecting from the first end of the mold, the first axle being rotatably disposed on a shaft support disposed on the first riser; and 
 a second axle outwardly projecting from the second end of the mold, the second axle being rotatably disposed on a shaft support disposed on the second riser. 
 
     
     
       10. The form as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the first axle is centrally disposed on the first end of the mold. 
     
     
       11. The form as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base extending between the first riser and the second riser; and 
 a rest upwardly extending from the base, the mold being supported on the rest when the mold is in the second orientation and the mold being spaced apart from the rest when the mold is in the first orientation. 
 
     
     
       12. The form as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising means extending between the base and the mold for selectively moving the mold between the first orientation and the second orientation. 
     
     
       13. The form as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the means for selectively moving the mold comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder having a first end connected to the base and an opposing second end connected to the mold. 
     
     
       14. A method for forming a barrier wall, the method comprising:
 positioning a mold in a first orientation, the mold having a rear wall and an encircling sidewall that upstands from the rear wall, the rear wall and the encircling sidewall at least partially bounding a compartment, an upper end of the encircling sidewall at least partially bounding a first access opening to the compartment; 
 dispensing a first material into the compartment through the first access opening, at least a portion of the first material being curable; 
 securing a front wall over the first access opening; 
 rotating the mold over an angle of at least 75° from the first orientation to a second orientation; 
 moving a portion of the sidewall of the mold when the mold is in the second orientation to form a second access opening to the compartment; and 
 dispensing a second material into the compartment, at least a portion of the second material being curable. 
 
     
     
       15. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein dispending the first material comprises:
 forming a layer of noise absorbing material on the rear wall of the mold; and 
 forming a layer of a cementitious material on top of the layer of the noise absorbing material, the noise absorbing material being better able to absorb noise than the cementitious material. 
 
     
     
       16. The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the noise absorbing material comprises natural rubber, synthetic rubber, wood, or polymeric foam. 
     
     
       17. The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the noise absorbing material further comprises hydraulic cement and lightweight aggregate. 
     
     
       18. The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the cementitious material comprises hydraulic cement and aggregate. 
     
     
       19. The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the cementitious material, when cured, has a density and compressive strength that is greater than a density and compressive strength of the noise absorbing material. 
     
     
       20. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the second material comprises a cementitious material. 
     
     
       21. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is used for rotating the mold from the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     
     
       22. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the first material and the second material form a self-supporting wall when the materials have hardened, the method further comprising removing the wall from the mold. 
     
     
       23. The method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising placing a liner on an interior surface of the rear wall prior to dispensing a first material into the compartment so that the liner is disposed within the compartment, the liner having a three dimensional design or texture formed thereon. 
     
     
       24. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the rear wall is in a horizontal orientation when the mold is in the first orientation and the rear wall is in a vertical orientation when the mold is in the second orientation. 
     
     
       25. The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein dispending the first material comprises:
 positioning a self-supporting panel comprised of a noise absorbing material on the rear wall of the mold; and 
 forming a layer of a cementitious material on top of the self-supporting panel, the self-supporting panel being better able to absorb noise than the cementitious material. 
 
     
     
       26. A form for forming a barrier wall, the form comprising:
 a mold bounding a compartment having a volume of at least 0.2 cubic meters (m 3 ), the mold comprising a front panel and an opposing rear panel each having an upper end and an opposing lower end that extend between a first side and an opposing second side, the mold further comprising:
 a bottom panel extending between the lower end of the front panel and the rear panel; and 
 a top panel extending between the upper end of the front panel and the rear panel; 
 
 a stand comprising:
 an upstanding first riser, a first end of the mold being rotatably connected to the first riser; and 
 an upstanding second riser, a second end of the mold that is opposite the first end being rotatably connected to the second riser, 
 a base extending between the first riser and the second riser; and 
 a rest upwardly extending from the base, 
 
 wherein the mold is rotatably mounted on the stand so that the mold can rotate between a first orientation wherein the mold is in an orientation that is between +/−15° from vertical and a second orientation wherein the mold is in an orientation that is between +/−15° from horizontal, the mold being supported on the rest when the mold is in the second orientation and the mold being spaced apart from the rest when the mold is in the first orientation. 
 
     
     
       27. The form as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising means extending between the base and the mold for selectively moving the mold between the first orientation and the second orientation. 
     
     
       28. The form as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the means for selectively moving the mold comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder having a first end connected to the base and an opposing second end connected to the mold.